The Sprout
Beavers building a den at Hill End – or should that be ‘lodge’?
The newsletter for North Hinksey & Botley
Issue 142 November 2019
The Sprout
Issue 142, November 2019
Contents
3 Letters to the Editor
7 Oxford Herbaria
9 Winter Artweeks
11 PPG: Cancer screening
13 Equali-tea
15 Friends of Raleigh Park
19 Botley Apple Day
21 Brownies play the game
23 Oxbridge Expressway
25 Oxford food Bank is Ten!
29 Morris for the masses
31 Beavers having fun
33 Planning Applications
35 Branches cafe
37 Police Report
39 Food ideas: Slugs
41 Randoms
43 Local organizations
From the Editor
This month’s cover shows the Beavers at Hill End (p31), while the
report from the Friends of Raleigh Park’s AGM (p15) shows that our
own local nature reserve is becoming increasingly rich in wildlife,
thanks to the hard work of lots of people. The pioneering Oxford Food
Bank celebrated its tenth year of operation (p25). Last month saw
several notably inclusive events: Botley Apple Day attracted people of
all ages (p19), Branches Youth Cafe (p35) and the Brownies (p21) both
enjoyed inter-generational parties, and North Hinksey hosted a tea to
celebrate the 30th anniversary of the founding of the LGBT charity,
Stonewall (p13). Coming up in November: a chance to get informed
about the plans for the Oxford–Cambridge Expressway (p23), about
Cancer Screening (p11) and Winter Artweeks (p9) and to get fit by
joining our local Morris side (p29). Colin and Sally Hersom report on a
visit to a little-known Oxford asset, the Oxford Herbaria, one of only
2,600 in the world (p7). Then there’s bad news from the local police
(p37), where a spate of burglaries gives food for thought, and finally
we have one of Riki Therivel’s cookery pages, reprinted from five
years ago, but still a classic (p39). Happy reading!
Ag MacKeith
Letters to the Editor
Parking problems
I am pleased to learn that double yellow lines are planned for North
Hinksey Lane, but will they be enforced? We have similar problems
in Westminster Way. Builders park on the path every working day.
When I asked Fix my Street and councillors about lines here, or at
least repainting those on the chicane, I was told there was no
budget until 2020. What can we do?
Thank you for highlighting this, and well done for avoiding the scam!
Malcolm Bell
More on scamming
I was interested to read in last month’s Sprout about a telephone
scam which nearly cost the victim £6000. It reminded me of a scam
which affected me in 2014. These scams have something important
in common. The first scam started with a stoppage of internet
service, followed very quickly by a phone call, apparently from BT,
offering help to get the service up and running again.
My scam started with a delivery of a mobile phone which I hadn’t
ordered, followed within minutes by a phone call, apparently from
the mobile phone company, telling me that a mistake in delivery had
been made, and offering me £25 to hand the phone over to a courier
who arrived very shortly afterwards. Later I got a large bill for the
phone from the company, and it took some effort to convince them
that there had been a scam.
Both scams started with an unexpected event, followed by an offer
of help from a plausible but criminal source. Both scams could have
been stopped at the outset by an independent check. In both cases
this would have involved terminating the call and independently
contacting the organization apparently offering help, either online
(via a different internet connection) or from a different phone (to
eliminate the possibility of the scammers staying on line to capture
and answer the next outgoing call). In summary, if you get an
unexpected and unsolicited telephone call, offering assistance
with a just-discovered
problem, there is a very good chance that it is part of a scam.
However plausible the contact, it should be checked independently.
For comprehensive advice on detecting and handling scams,
contact Citizen’s Advice at www.citizensadvice.org.uk
Grant Nightingale
Good timing
Thanks for your invaluable article in the Sprout. I just got the phone
call, but was in the know after reading what happened to you. I
strung them along as long as I felt like it, then called them
scammers that I read about.
I have forwarded this to BT.
Good mag. Good Work. Thanks.
Babinder Samra
The Oxford Herbaria
We were lucky enough to be able to visit the Oxford Herbaria as part
of Oxford Preservation Trust “Open Doors” in mid-September. We
had no idea what to expect, but were told to gather outside the Plant
Sciences building on South Parks Road.
Stephen Harris, the curator, took us to a room where there were
cupboards full of pressed, dried plants. On display were a few from
the collection and also some books of the oldest collections. Each
book is a herbarium hence the collection is the herbaria. One
such volume, found in a shed under a pile of straw, turned out to be
the oldest in the world (c. 1660) and was in surprisingly good
condition given its treatment.
The purpose of these herbaria (around 2600 worldwide) is to record
all plant species and allow scientific research with the specimens.
One such investigation had found some spores of the blight fungus
on an early potato specimen. Analysing the DNA revealed that the
fungus originated in Europe, not brought in from Peru as previously
supposed. The potato just happened to be a suitable host and we
grew it everywhere!
Since the colours are lost when plants are dried, the collection also
includes drawings. One beautiful volume from the early 19th
century was made by an artist who travelled with a collector and
made pencil sketches and numbered the colours. On his return he
created the book from those sketches some of them drawn years
after he saw the plant. Each drawing tookdays on average and
the colours are completely accurate. It took even longer to publish
the book since each page had to be engraved and the prints
carefully hand-coloured. Only 25 copies were ever made.
The importance of the original specimens was made clear when he
showed us a drawing of a solanum plant from Brazil. It showed a
thorn on the stem, and people had searched for years for another
example. When they found the original dried specimen, they
realised that the “thorn” was in fact a misplaced flower bud and the
plant was a common weed! Sometimes a herbarium contains a
plant that really is extinct. One such is a vetch collected in the
Azores in 1848: the whole of its range disappeared into the ocean a
few years later in a landslip.
Another plant on show was a water-lily. It had flowered in
Chatsworth and this was the actual flower – preserved for ever. The
flowering success made others try harder and whole greenhouses,
including the one in Oxford Botanic Gardens, were constructed
specifically for the purpose.
This location was only open to OPT members, but there are many
places open to the general public over the weekend, to suit all
tastes. If you haven’t encountered Open Doors before, why not
make a note to explore some of Oxford’s fascinating aspects next
year?
Colin & Sally Hersom
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Winter Artweeks
Yes, Artweeks is not just in May! A number of Oxfordshire artists will
be opening their studios or taking part in fairs and shows this winter,
and many will have a Christmas theme.
Here’s what to expect in the West Oxford area:
West Oxford Community Centre will host its annual Handmade
Christmas Market featuring over 20 artists and craftspeople. Tumbling
Bay Café will be open for refreshments! (Sat 23 November 11– 6pm &
Sun 24
November 11–4pm, West Oxford Community Centre, Botley
Road, OX2 0BT: www.facebook.com/ OxfordChristmasMarket).
Ali and Jane Hogg will exhibit 18 years of Christmas card designs with
other artworks, photographs, prints, cards and jewellery (two
weekends, Sat 23/Sun 24 November and Sat 30 November/ Sun 1st
December 10–6pm, 42 Arthray Road, Botley, OX2 9AB Instagram
@ali.hogg).
Just around the corner is artist Will Cotterill who will be showing
paintings, sculpture, prints, cards and postcards in his gallery.
(Saturday 23 and Sunday 24 November, 10–6pm, 2 Springfield Road,
Botley, OX2 9HJ – www.williamcotterill.co.uk).
In Cumnor David Williams, Sue Side and Steph Monteath’s Winter
Show will showcase sculpture, drawings/etchings and textiles. (Fri 29
Nov, Sat 30 Nov and Sun 1st Dec 10 4pm: Robsart Place Cumnor
OX2 9QT).
To find out more visit www.artweeks.org, click on ‘galleries’ and
select ‘artist’ or ‘Christmas Event’.
Cancer Screening – is it for you?
Botley and Kennington Patient Participation Group will host a talk by
Cancer Research UK’s Hannah Hollis, the organization’s Facilitator
for Oxfordshire and Swindon, at 7.00-8.00 pm on Wednesday 20
November at Botley Medical Centre, Elms Road, OX2 9JS. All
patients of Botley Medical Centre and Kennington Health Centre are
welcome.
Cancer screening looks for signs in symptom-free people that
cancer may be developing. If you already have symptoms, contact
your GP straight away.
The UK has three national cancer screening programmes. n
England:
* Breast screening is offered to women aged 50--70
* Cervical screening is offered to women aged 25--64. It is
offered every 3 years to women aged 25--49 and every 5 years
to women aged 50--64
* Bowel screening is offered to all men and women aged 60--74
who are registered with a GP.
* If you are older than the age range for breast or bowel
screening, you can make your own breast screening appoint-
ment, or request a bowel screening kit. Your GP surgery can
tell you how to do this.
Hannah will discuss the pros and cons of cancer screening for
individuals and for society. There will be time for questions.
For further information, please see Cancer Research UK’s website
at
https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/screening/unders
tanding-cancer-screening
Who we are: the Botley and Kennington Patient Participation Group
consists of volunteers who are registered patients of the Botley
Medical Centre and Kennington Health Centre. Our main aims are:
to promote the well-being of patients and to facilitate positive and
effective two-way communication between the practice and its
patients. For further information about Botley and Kennington PPG,
please contact me at grantn00@outlook.com.
Grant Nightingale
North Hinksey Equali-tea!
North Hinksey residents came out in
support of inclusivity and equality for gay
and transgender people at a sun-soaked
tea party marking the 30th anniversary of
of the founding of Stonewall, the LGBT
charity.
Stonewall-inspired “Equali-tea” parties
have been taking place around the country
this year. The event in North Hinksey
Village drew more than 40 locals, bearing
a truly impressive variety of cakes, and
raised £190.
Two North Hinksey residents, Ruth Wilson
and Kate Sullivan-Estrada, organized the tea party They were
pleased with the results of their efforts, and said: “It was a really
lovely afternoon full of sun and smiles and even some dancing! It
was heartening to see our local friends having a good time to
support a good cause and to
meet new friends at the event.
Although there has been
progress towards equality in the
UK, LGBT people still face
prejudice and sometimes
violence. Also, we should
remember that in all too many
parts of the world, being gay or
transgender can mean a prison
sentence or worse.
We’re grateful to Botley
Women’s Institute for lending
their tea urn. There was quite a
turnout so it would have meant
an awful lot of kettle boiling
without it! We hope to make this
an annual event thanks to all
who came and helped to make it
such a success.”
Ruth Wilson
Friends of Raleigh Park
The 8th Annual General Meeting of the Friends of Raleigh Park,
held once more in the Louie Memorial Pavilion, celebrated a very
busy year for the Park and exciting prospects for the future.
The meeting was attended by some 20 members and
representatives of BBOWT, Oxford City Council (OCC, the trustees
of the Park) and the Freshwater Habitats Trust (FHT), and was
occupied almost entirely by reports on current and future activity.
The year began well with the award (in September) of a Letter of
Commendation by the Oxford Preservation Trust to the Park and the
Wild Oxford project, recognising the opening up of a new viewpoint
over the City. It was followed by a lively Adventure Day for families
organised by Andy Gunn and Ceri Cadwallader of BBOWT during
the October half term, and the annual Boxing Day Walk, with a
second Adventure Day in February. In May Linda Losito gave an
eye-opening talk on dung and dung beetles. BBOWT Work parties
including scrub clearance and meadow scything have continued
through the year, with a dedicated cohort of local volunteers.
Butterfly surveying (led by Barbara Witkowski and Leon Piper)
began in January with an egg hunt which identified eggs of the rare
Brown Hairstreak butterfly on blackthorn in the Park and on Harcourt
Hill; it continued with three-weekly butterfly walks which have
recorded over 600 specimens from 20 different species, including
some passing Painted Ladies. The most productive walk, in mid-
July, spotted 240 butterflies, and was combined with a citizen
science survey of flowering plants, which recorded over 40 species,
some of which had not previously been noted, and confirmed the
vitality of rare species such as the Spiny Restharrow.
David Brown had begun a survey of bats in the Park, using
recordings converted to analysable audio signals. The bird boxes
installed by Clive Smith (who had also constructed a bird feeding
station) have been monitored by Stephen Miller; the 15 boxes had
raised some 50 great tits and blue tits, with boxes for owls and
wagtails still awaiting their first occupants. Barbara Witkowski
reported on a countywide project to vaccinate badgers against
bovine TB, and thus eliminate the need for culling; in a notable piece
of networking, the extension of this programme to the setts in
Raleigh Park was agreed during the meeting by OCC officer Julian
Cooper. Andy Gunn announced the release of Judy Webb’s latest
ecological report on the Park. All of this activity, which has depended
on an active Friends group working closely with the Oxford City
Parks management and BBOWT, has continued the transformation
of the Park from scrub to a more open wildlife-rich site whose
precious areas of rare alkaline fen are being preserved and
enhanced.
A new initiative, to be conducted in
conjunction with the Freshwater
Habitats Trust, will re-wet the fen by
constructing dams on the streams. A
separate project, for which grant
funding has just been requested,
aims to improve the Park’s
accessibility, by installing gates
suitable for wheelchair and pushchair
access, stabilising major pathways,
and installing interpretative signage
for entrances and the fen area, with a
new seat to encourage use of the
new Viewpoint. This will be the first
major grant application by the
Friends, and has benefited enormously from input from Michael
Woods of OCC, as well as from a generous offer of contribution in
kind from OCC and two recent donations which enabled the Friends
to pledge money from their own funds towards the total budget.
Another project awaiting funding is a hydrological survey of the Park
and its water catchment area, to support future responses to
development plans which may put the Park’s wetlands at risk.
In a panel discussion, Julian Cooper reported that OCC were
pursuing an alternative grazing strategy which would bring more
manageable rare breed cattle into the Park to fulfil the crucial role of
keeping grass short and treading in wild flower seeds. Ellie Mayhew
of FHT reported on an innovative method of surveying ponds for
their wildlife, by analysing traces of environmental DNA recovered
from pond water; the results for the Park would soon be available.
The Friends’ website www.raleighpark.org.uk has more details of
projects and reports, and of ongoing activities. New members are
always welcome. We are looking to recruit new committee
members, especially parents of younger children who could help
plan and coordinate family activities in the Park.
Stephen Parkinson
Apple Day 2019
Well, that was fun!
Apple Day took place
on October 6th, the
rain held off, and
adults and children
joined together in an
afternoon of
blameless activity.
Vast quantities of
apples were brought
in bags and tubs and
baskets, and the
willing cohorts got
chopping on a trestle
table in the garden.
Meanwhile the apple
press had been
assembled, the mincer installed over the lining bag and the chopped
apples were minced and pressed down. Then the bag was folded
shut, the cover tamped down, bolts tightened, and the brawnier
members of the company got to work turning the screw. Out rushed
the juice, sampled with gusto
and saved in bottles and
barrels. Come 4pm, it was time
for tea and apple cakes of all
kinds, but once you’d got into
the rhythm if felt like a waste to
stop, so refreshments were
brought to the workbench.
Indoors, the apple and pear
identification table was up and
running, though nothing rare
and strange was logged this
year. The pictures give an idea
of what it was like. Thank you
everyone who came and made
it so worthwhile.
Ag MacKeith
Brownies play the game
2nd Botley Brownies are continuing with our Survivor badge. This
gave the girls a chance to prepare a wide assortment of fresh fruits
some never seen or tasted before. Once all hands and fruit had
been washed, each Six selected a different fruit to peel, open or di-
vide into smaller amounts. The assortment of fruit was then placed
into small individual bowls and the meeting ended with all the
Brownies and Leaders sitting in a circle to enjoy the “fruits” of their
labours!
Our evening spent with the residents of Cumnor Hill House was a
new and most enjoyable occasion for our Unit. On arrival the Activit-
ies Organiser, Alan, placed the girls into four groups who would in
turn rotate around the various games laid out for us. These included
dominoes, snakes and ladders, large wooden noughts and crosses,
a bagatelle board and a Nintendo Wii Just Dance (which, to the em-
barrassed delight of all the girls, Brown Owl joined in with and boo-
gied too!). Several of the residents came to join us, to chat to us and
to watch what was happening.
One gentleman in particular
though, Ernie, decided to join in
with the games and stayed at the
snakes and ladders table enjoying
playing a fresh game with each of
the groups. Unfortunately, each
time he was just on the verge of
winning when Alan got the groups
to change around and then he
had to start all over again. Sorry,
Ernie! It transpired that he was an
ex-Scout Leader so already knew
a lot about Scouting and Guiding.
The evening was finished off with
a tray of beautifully prepared
sandwiches and a glass of
squash each. A big “thank you” to
Cumnor Hill House for inviting us
into their lovely home and to Ernie
for joining in and being such a sport.
The Owls
Oxford to Cambridge Expressway: find out more
Coming up this month you will have an ideal opportunity to find out
what impact the proposed Oxford to Cambridge Expressway might
have on you, our local community, and Oxfordshire as a whole.
Expressway Public Information Meeting
Thursday 7th November, 7.30pm in Seacourt Hall
hosted by N Hinksey Parish Council and Cumnor Parish Council
Many people will be aware of the Expressway, but may not know what
the proposals might mean in reality, or what process is being followed
to decide if it will be built, and if so, where. Highways England, who are
managing the project, have promised a public consultation this autumn,
but at the time of writing no details have been announced. We fully
expect at least one of the proposed routes to pass through this area.
The public meeting will include speakers who can provide detailed
answers on how the Expressway is being justified from the Government
viewpoint, and what it might mean in terms of additional housing and
infrastructure throughout the wider ‘Growth Arc that the Expressway
would pass through. They will also address the potential economic,
social and environmental impacts on local communities. There will be
opportunities to question the
speakers and panel about all
aspects of the proposed scheme.
If the Expressway is built, together
with the associated additional
housing, industry and other
elements proposed as part of the
wider scheme, it will be the largest
single infrastructure project ever
to take place within Oxfordshire. It
is essential that everybody has a
chance to have their say by
participating in the public
consultation, and we want to
ensure that people are fully
informed in advance about the
detailed issues. We look forward
to seeing you on the 7th.
Cllr David Kay, Chairman NHPC
Oxford Food Bank is ten years old!
Oxford Food Bank volunteers, suppliers and friends gathered on
29th September to celebrate 10 years of preventing unnecessary
food waste in Oxfordshire.
The charity based on Curtis Industrial Estate held an open day at its
warehouse base and a party at neighbouring brewery Tap Social.
Food was provided by Waste2Taste, a social enterprise which works
in collaboration with Oxford Food Bank, using the surplus food to
run workshops teaching cooking skills to vulnerable adults.
To celebrate 10 years, some of the more energetic volunteers also
took part in a 10k walk, taking in Harcourt Hill, Chilswell Valley and
South Hinksey. In spite of the
weather, walkers said they
welcomed the chance to get
together and chat and some
also took the opportunity to
raise sponsorship for the Food
Bank.
Volunteers from Unipart Cowley
recently worked at the Food
Bank base to weigh all food
coming in for a week, helping to put a figure on Oxford Food Bank’s
impact over the past decade. Over seven days Oxford Food Bank
received 7.4 tonnes of surplus food with a retail value of nearly
£20,000. “We thought it would also be interesting to calculate
some statistics about what we’ve achieved over the past ten years,
said manager Cathy Howard. “We estimate that we have saved
around £7.5 million’s worth of food going to landfill that’s around
3,000 tons!” (See below for some more statistics – Ed)
Back at the party, volunteers and representatives of charities took
the opportunity to celebrate what Oxford Food Bank has achieved
over the past ten years. Volunteer Jude Carroll shared anecdotes
about some favourite moments, which included Countryfile Live at
Blenheim Palace, receiving the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service
in 2018, and many tales about weird and wonderful vegetables, van-
whisperers, and the endless supply of bananas and lemon curd.
Visitors included Vice Lord Lieutenant Brian Buchan, who
congratulated the Food Bank on its contribution to the community.
Everyone raised a glass to toast 10 fantastic years, and to look
forward to many productive years ahead.
Emma Tinder
[Some further figures were shaken out in the ten-year review:
Currently there are 120 volunteers, and around 90 charities helped
per week. Over ten years there have been 118,000 hours of
volunteer labour, 300,000 miles covered collecting and distributing
food for 7 million meals. Miles driven were ‘more than the distance
to the moon’, but by keeping that food out of landfill, 12,600 tonnes
of CO
2
were saved
enough to drive for 30 million miles, so very
worth doing. The Oxford Food Bank exists primarily to prevent good
food going to waste, so in an ideal world it would not be needed. In
our own flawed system, however, it does a wonderful job, and we
look forward to the day when there’s a similar operation in every
town . Editor]
Come and try Morris dancing
As Autumn takes hold and the evenings start drawing in, it's that time of
year when summer has truly gone and winter is just around the corner.
In the world of
Morris, this is the
time to look forward
to next summer, and
start preparing. It's
practice season.
And it’s the perfect
time for beginners to
Morris to start
learning.
Dance of any sort
has a wide range of
health benefits, both
physical and mental.
Morris is a gentle form of exercise, something anyone can tackle. Never
danced before? No problem. You don't need a partner or any
equipment to start. It's a sociable (and slightly daft) way to have fun and
get a little fitter – and maybe even a little happier in the process.
Did you know Botley has its very
own Morris side? Cry Havoc
Morris practises every Thursday
evening between 8:00 and 9:30
in the WI Hall. Our dancers and
musicians come from all round
Oxford and further beyond, but
there are still some Botley
regulars. We're a mixture of
women and men of all ages and
abilities, and we're always
overjoyed to welcome new
dancers or musicians. Why not
come and try it out?
To find out more, contact me at
info@cryhavoc.org.uk or on
07941 697732, through
Facebook or Twitter as
@cryhavocmorris. Then there’s
our website:.www.cryhavoc.org
Jim Hague
Beavers Space Camp
On the 20th September, 4th Oxford Beavers arrived at Hill End
Centre for a space camp. Once they were settled, Adrian (one of the
Leaders) took them on a journey through space and the Universe;
they then designed unique planets that they would like to visit
themselves. I particularly liked the cube planet and the sweet
planet.
After tossing a sizeable
amount of marshmallows
and chocolate biscuits onto
the fire, we went out to look
at some constellations and
planets. We saw shooting
stars, satellites, and even
the International Space
Station went over. After
discovering the stars, we
came back to enjoy sitting
round the fire, listening to
space-themed stories, after
which it was bed time (not
necessarily time to sleep!).
Extremely early the next
morning, the Beavers were ready and raring to go… to breakfast. It
was such a lovely morning that we went on a walk. It was not long
before they were distracted by the chance to build dens (even better
than the Scouts!).
Back in the dormitory, we did some fun space-themed activities,
including making space gloop; we made planets with CDs; created
comets and learned about the phases of the moon through eating
Oreo biscuits. We also watched a video of what it is like in the
International Space Station. We finished our camp by making and
cooking pizza planets in a wood-fired pizza oven; launching bottle
rockets and building our own International Space Station out of
cardboard boxes (see photos above).
I think all the Beavers had a good time and I can’t wait to help at the
next Beaver camp. You can see two 360 degree photos of the camp
at: http://bit.ly/2MF9Vt9 and http://bit.ly/2MDELST
Will Hodges (a Scout at the 4th and a helper with the Beavers)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~
LOCAL PLANNING APPLICATIONS
P19/V2188/HH
52 Hurst Rise Road. Garage
Replacement.
13 Sept
TDD: 8 Nov
P19/V2256/HH 7 Lime Rd. Single storey rear
extension. Loft conversion.
16 Sept
TDD: 11 Nov
P19/V2253/HH 3 Lime Rd. To erect a white PVCu-
framed conservatory.
17 Sept
TDD: 12 Nov
P19/V2277/A Unit 1 Westway Place, Chapel Way.
(Mid-Counties Co-op.) 3 x
illuminated fascia signs.
24 Sept
Target Decis
Date: 15 Nov
P19/V2307/HH 5 Hurst Rise Rd. Single-storey side
and rear extension.
25 Sept
TDD: 20 Nov
P19/V2369/LDP 9 Conifer Close. Certificate of
Lawful Use for single storey side
extension and garage conversion.
2 October
TDD: 27 Nov
P19/V2414/A Seacourt Tower, Homebase Ltd.
New B & Q external wall mounted &
free standing parking signage (non-
illuminated & illuminated).
8 October
Target
Decision Date:
3 December
P19/V2377/HH Courtenay House, Stanton Rd.
Retrospective planning permission
for single storey staff rest room to
main house.
9 October
TDD: 4 Dec
Afternoon Tea at Branches
On Tuesday 19th September, the Branches team and the Young
Leaders hosted an afternoon tea party for people over the age of
sixty. Despite only having four people at their first event, it was a
very enjoyable time with games to play and scones, sandwiches and
cakes to eat, all made by young people. Our next dates are
Thursday 31 Oct, 3.45 – 5pm
Thursday 14 November, ditto
Thurs 12 December, ditto
We would love to have more people, so that the old and the new
generations can come together and have fun. All of our tea parties
are hosted at the Seacourt Hall, West Way, Botley OX2 9LP. If you
have any enquiries, phone Oxford 251115 or come along on the day.
We would like to thank the Lottery Community Fund players for their
contribution. We were very grateful for their grant. This article was
written by us three young leaders, who were helping at the event.
Amelie, Lizzie and Shannon
Police Report
There has been too much happening recently in and around Botley,
which just shows we can’t take our reputation as a ‘low crime area’ for
granted. Thanks to PCSO Adi Wright for keeping us informed. If you
can help with any information please tell TVP by phoning 101 and
mentioning the crime reference number if you have it.
On 19 September around 2.30pm a property in Hurst Rise
Road was broken into and small items were taken (ref 43190290309)
On 24 September between midnight and 7.45pm a property in
Denton Close Botley was broken in through the rear patio door and
small items were stolen (ref 43190296203)
On October 8th, between 11.00 and 14.30hrs, there was a
burglary on Orchard Road. The thieves gained access via a bedroom
window. A messy search was conducted and a safe was stolen that
contained jewellery, passports and other items (ref 43190311921)
On the evening of 14th October, Police had reports of a male
acting suspiciously by hanging around an alleyway and later that
evening someone tried a garage door handle. We don’t know if this
was the same person, or if these incidents are related, but we would
invite residents to remain vigilant and let us know if they see anything
suspicious.
On 17th October between 7 and 10pm, burglars forced a rear
window in Denton Close. It is unknown if anything was taken.
Similarly, on October 18th at 19.30hrs, burglars gained access
to a house in Pottle Close through a forced rear window.
Police have also had a report of suspected rogue traders visiting
residents of caravan parks offering various works including structural
maintenance. They provided quotes and advertising material, but the
contact details they provided did not relate to a legitimate business. If
you get unexpected visitors offering work of any description please do
not agree to anything, sign anything and especially do not part with any
money. You should be given time to research the company and
potentially get additional quotes for the work. If in any doubt call 101 or
Trading Standards.
On 28 September the Abingdon Neighbourhood Team were in Hurst
Lane, Cumnor, offering crime reduction advice and discussing
Smartwater property-marking kits. If 80% of residents have used and
registered Smartwater security marking, a street sign can be displayed
to deter burglars. If you would like help with a similar scheme for your
street, just ask. More information on TVP website.
Food ideas: Slugs
After the recent rain, the only thing that seems to be thriving in the
garden is slugs. From the amount of damage that they have caused
to my fruit and vegetables, they must be the size of small dogs.
Hoping for revenge, I did a bit of research on slug recipes, and you'll
be happy to know that your gut feeling is correct. Slugs are not the
new, must-have, low-fat, high-nutrient taste
sensation. Their slime can contain
lungworm and cause a form of meningitis
(they can do that to dogs too). The way to
avoid this is by soaking the slugs in a 50:50
mixture of vinegar and water for several
minutes, which gets rid of most of the slime
and conveniently also kills them. It would
be wise to also remove their digestive gland if you're keen, you
can get instructions on how to do this off the Internet. Then they
can be used like clams: simmered in stock or stir-fried.
Assuming that this does not sound fantastically appealing, here are
a couple of more palatable recipes featuring seasonal produce,
most of which can come from the garden or allotment:
Mashed slug: Sorry, I meant potato there, mashed potato. Cut
several potatoes into small pieces (I leave the skin on), cover them
in water and boil until soft (about 10 minutes), drain off almost all of
the water, add a good dollop of milk, a lot of butter and some salt,
and mash with a potato masher or a fork. Instead of just potato, you
can make a mixture of any of: potato, parsnip, swede, turnip, apple.
Black slug with apple: Meat Master on Osney Mead sells large
tubes of black pudding (whoops, my mistake earlier) for not very
much. If you haven't had black pudding since you were a child, try it
again it's delicious stuff, albeit high in fat. Cut two apples into
slices and fry them gently in several tablespoons of butter. Remove
the apples when they are golden and add the black pudding to the
pan: 2-3 slices per person. Fry for 3 minutes on each side, and
serve with the apples.
Stir-fried slug: Slice one onion and a medium-sized slug of your
choice: red, green (oh ha ha I meant cabbage, not slug), kale, etc.
Heat up two tablespoons of oil, and add the onion and cabbage plus
a teaspoon of salt. Fry at high heat for several minutes until the
cabbage is wilted.
Slug crumble: Pick a large bowl of
slugs fruit: some combination of
berries, apples, pears, plums etc. Put
them in a baking dish. For the
crumble mix, combine 300g plain flour,
175g brown sugar, and 200g butter by
rubbing them together with your hands
until it has a, well, crumble-like
consistency. Alternatively, buy a package of crumble mix from the
Coop. Put the crumble mix on top of the slugs and bake at gas 4
(180C) for about 40 minutes. Serve with yoghurt or cream.
RT (reprinted)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Randoms
Cumnor Choral Society:
Bach’s Christmas Oratorio on 30 November in St Peter & St Paul’s
Church at 7.30 in association with Wheatley & Great Milton Singers.
Tickets £12 and £10 from Caroline on 07961 900670 or at the door.
Andrews Dry Cleaning:
Andrew Shea has expanded the offer in the shop in Elms Parade
and can now provide key cutting, much missed since Motorist
Discount moved out, shoe repairs, saving a long journey into town,
and Rug Doctor Rental, unavailable since Homebase closed.
Girls’ Football
The Football Association and SSE (Scottish and Southern Energy)
have launched an initiative to provide girls between 5 and 11 with
regular opportunities to play football and take part in organised
sessions. 200 clubs have already been established across England.
Recently Botley Boys and Girls FC were contacted by the FA and
asked if we would like to come on board.
Our club has always promoted equal opportunities, but the male
dominated nature of the game has discouraged girls from joining.
SSE Wildcats will provide a safe environment where girls with no
football experience can have fun engaging with sport, develop
fundamental skills, try a variety of sessions, learn new things and
create foundations for a lifelong love of sport.
Therefore, we are now delighted to inform you that, with the help of
a group of willing volunteers, we are in a position to firstly offer a
safe girl-only environment for female footballers, and secondly apply
to become an accredited Wildcats centre.
Sprout grants
Good news! Thanks to the hard work of our advertising manager,
Mike Cockman, The Sprout, has once again achieved a small
surplus. From next month we will be happy to return this to the local
community in the form of grants. If your worthwhile project requires
some funding, get in touch and we’ll help if we can.
Oganizations: If your organization is not listed here, please send details to
editor@thesprout.org.uk or telephone 724452 for inclusion.
1st Botley Brownies
Girls aged 7C10
Dean Court Community Centre Thur 6–7.30 Jean Metson,
firstbotleybrownies@gmail.com
1st Botley Rainbows
Girls aged 5--7
Dean Court Community Centre Thur 6–7.15 Jennie
Shepherd, firstbotleyrainbows@gmail.com
2nd Botley Brownies
Girls aged 7–10
Rosary Room, Yarnells Hill. Tues 6:15-7:45 Alison
Griffin 2ndbotleybrownies@outlook.com
4th Oxford Scout Group
Beavers, Cub Scouts, Scouts
Scout Hall, Arnolds Way; mail@thefourth.org.uk
Website: http://www.thefourth.org.uk/
15th Oxford Scout Group
Boys and girls welcome
Fridays, cubs 6.30-8, scouts 8-9.30, Botley Baptist Hall.
Amy Cusden 07887 654386 xvoxfordscouts@yahoo.co.uk
Baby & Toddler Group Tues/Thurs 9.15–11, SS Peter & Paul Church Hall
Badminton Club
Thurs 7-8pm at Matthew Arnold Sports Hall. Garry Clark
0777 3559 314 garryclark13@gmail.com
BikeSafe. B4044 community
path campaign
Wants to connect Botley to Eynsham. Meets every 6-8
weeks. Contact via website B4044path.org
Books on Wheels R.V.S. Free Library Service for housebound Ox. 248142
Botley Boys & Girls F.C.
Football teams from ages 8-16
Jason Barley Ox. 242926 jbarley1@sky.com or Brendan
Byrne 792531 brendan.byrne999@gmail.com
Botley Library
01865 248142. Open till 7 on Friday and 1pm on Sat,
otherwise 9.30 to 5.30 (closed Wednesdays).
Botley Singers
Thur 7.30, St Andrew’s Church, Dean Court. Angela Astley-
Penny Ox.242189 angastpen@aol.com
Branches Café, Westway
Place, Open to All 8am-3pm,
Open for young people 3-5 daily, Th. eves 7–9 Tel:01865
251115 www.branchesyouth.uk Facebook Instagram
Community Fridge Mon–Sat 9–5, Sun 11–5. Riki Therivel 07759 135811
Cumnor Choral Society
Rehearsals Friday 7.45 to 9.45 pm John May 07795
054142 or www.cumnorchoralsociety.wordpress.com
Cumnor Chess Club
Thurs 7–9pm Cumnor Old School. Steven Bennett 862788
www.cumnorchessclub.co.uk
Cumnor & District Historical
Society
Last Monday of the month 7.30-9.00 Cumnor Old School.
01865 724808
Cumnor Gardening Club http://cumnorgardens.org.uk/ or phone , 01865 721026
Harmony InSpires, Ladies'
Acappella Singing Group
Wed 7.30 at Appleton village hall. C. Casson 01235 831352
or harmonyinspires@hotmail.co.uk
Hill End Volunteer Team
Contact: David Millin on david.millin@hill-end.org, call
01865-863510 or visit www.hillend-oec.co.uk
Let’s Sing! – singing group Weds 2pm, WOCC, details Emily 07969 522368
or email emformusic@outlook.com
Morris Dancing – Cry Havoc
Barbara Brett 249599 or bag@cryhavoc.org.uk
Mum and Baby Yoga for
Mondays 10.30 at Dean Court CC, contact Jacqueline
babies from 6 wks to crawling Rice via https://yogawithjacqueline.co.uk
North Hinksey Preschool and
Childcare Clubs
Mon–Fri 7.45am –6.00 pm. 01865 794287 or email
nhps.manager1@gmail.com
N Hinksey Art Group Weds 10 – 12.00 W.I. Hall Tel: Christina 07931 707997
N Hinksey Bellringers Contact: Ray Rook 01865 241451
N Hinksey Conservation
Volunteers
Meets at weekends. Contact Voirrey Carr 07798743121
voirreyc@aol.com
N Hinksey, Friends of Annual Cricket Match & Walk. Douglas Bond 791213.
N Hinksey Parish Council Colin Ryde, tel 861992, clerk@northhinksey-pc.gov.uk
N Hinksey Youth Club
Wednesdays at Arnold's Way pavilion, call Daz on 07791
212866 or see Facebook
Over Sixties Lunch Club
Every other Thursday. Seacourt Hall. Viv Smith 01865
241539 or Jackie Warner 01865 721386
Oxford Flood Alliance R Thurston 01865 723663 or 07973 292035
Oxfd Flower Arranging Club 4th Thursday Cumnor. Dympna Walker: 01865 865259
Oxford Harmony Men's
Acappella singing group
Meets Wednesdays 7.45 pm at Seacourt Hall Contact
pro@oxfordharmony.co.uk
Oxford Otters
Swimming for people with disabilities. Sundays, twice
monthly. Contact: Alan Cusden 723420
Oxford Rugby Club
Boys and girls from 5, kevin.honner@ntlworld.com
Seniors, training etc jbrodley@chandlings.org.uk.
Oxford Sports Lawn Tennis
Club, N Hinksey
Family club: Melanie Riste 848658
melanie_riste@hotmail.com
Raleigh Park, Friends of raleighpark@raleighpark.org.uk
Saturdads
Botley Bridges
Fun activities and trips for Dads and under 5’s
10 am–noon 1st Sat of month. Tel: 243955
Seacourt Hall management
committee
Michael Cockman 07766 317691
michael.cockman@gmail.com.
Shotokan Karate club 6+ WOCC twice weekly Martyn King 07836 646450
Walking for Health 2nd/4th Saturdays 9.45 Botley Library Alan 07941 610913
Weight Watchers
Thursdays 6pm at SS Peter & Paul Church Hall Banso
tel: 07779 253899 bansob@aol.com
West Oxford Bowls Club Contact details on www.westoxfordbowlsclub.co.uk
West Oxford Taekwon Do
Club
Mon, Thurs 6.30-8pm, MA gym, contact Chris Hall 01865
570291 www.wotkd.co.uk
West Oxford U3A (Uni of the 3rd Age) http://westoxfordu3a.org.uk/
West Way Day Centre
Mon & Fri 10–3pm, Field House, 07740 611971.
oxfordshirehub@royalvoluntaryservice.org.uk
Women’s Institute (Botley) Liz Manson, 244175 or liz.manson@virginmedia.com